Pepsi Max Big One

Infobox roller coaster
name= Pepsi Max Big One


caption= Pepsi Max From The View
location= Pleasure Beach Blackpool
section=Pepsi Next To Infusion
type= Steel
status=Operating
opened=May 28,1994
manufacturer= Arrow Dynamics
designer= Ron Toomer
model="Hyper Coaster"
lift=Chain lift hill
height= 213
drop= 205
length= 5497
speed= 74
duration= 3:00
angle= 65
capacity=1700
cost=£12,000,000 ($19,000,000)
acceleration=
gforce=3.5
restriction= 52
rcdb_number= 775

The "Pepsi Max Big One" is a steel roller coaster located at Pleasure Beach Blackpool in the United Kingdom. The ride was originally manufactured by Arrow Dynamics, a now defunct steel coaster manufacturer. The ride cost £12,000,000 to build and to date is the biggest ever investment from "Pleasure Beach". At its highest point, the ride stands 213'ft (65m) with a the first drop measuring 205ft (63m). It is also one of the longest out-and-back roller coasters, measuring 5497'ft. The first drop has an incline angle of 65 degrees and the usual acceleration for the ride is 74mph/112kph. The ride lasts approximately two and a half minutes and riders generally experience lateral g forces of up to 3.5 negative g.

The ride has undergone a few changes over the years, including re-profiling of the first drop and of the turnaround over the north entrance of the park.

Records

When it opened on May 28,1994, the Pepsi Max Big One roller coaster was the tallest, fastest and steepest roller coaster of any park in the world. The ride lost its height and speed records to Fujiyama in 1996, though it remained the fastest roller coaster in Europe until 2001, when Colossos opened at Heide Park in Germany, and the tallest until 2002, when Silver Star opened at Europa-Park in Germany. The ride still remains the tallest roller coaster in the United Kingdom, but is no longer the fastest (the UK record going to Stealth at Thorpe Park).

Marketing

Although the ride itself is marketed as being 235ft tall by the park, this is the height from sea-level (bearing in mind the ride is located opposite the Irish Sea). The height of the lift from ground-level is about 65m (213ft) with a drop of about 62m (205 feet). Notably, if using heights from sea level, there are many roller coasters in the UK and around the world that are "higher" than 235 feet.

When the ride was first opened, the park sold advance boarding tickets for the ride, resulting in the formation of the "235 CLUB" (now known as Club Pleasure Beach).To this day, it is still marketed within the park as the Tallest, Fastest and Steepest coaster in Europe, even when all of those records have been beaten.

External links

* [http://www.blackpoolpleasurebeach.com/ride.php?id=1&rideType=1 Pleasure Beach Blackpool, Pepsi Max Big One Official Site]
* [http://www.amusementvideo.com/view_video.php?viewkey=cb220ffe637cda29bb3f&page=1&viewtype=&category=mr A video of the Pepsi Max Big One]
* [http://www.ukrides.info/bpbpmbo.htm Pics of the Pepsi Max Big One and a front seat ride]
* [http://www.coasterforce.com/index.php?categoryid=101 Pictures, Info, and Reviews of Pepsi Max Big One on CoasterForce]

References

* cite journal | last = Roberts | first = J.M. | date = November 1,1994 | title = The 'Pepsi Max Big One' rollercoaster - Blackpool Pleasure Beach
journal = The Structural Engineer | volume = 72 | issue = 21 | pages = 345–349 | publisher = Institution of Structural Engineers